Overview Of The Debian GNU/Linux System

In previous columns Ian introduced the Debian system, explained the circumstances that led to its creation and detailed the motivations that keep the project alive. This month's column will tell the reader how and where to get Debian and what it has to offer.

Debian differs from other Linux
distributions in many ways, a few of which are radical departures
from the ways distributions of the past were assembled. These
differences have attracted developers from around the world to work
together toward the common goal of making Debian the best Linux
distribution available. Indeed, one of the differences that has
attracted them is the fact that they can work
together.

Open Development

The most unique aspect of Debian development as compared to
other Linux distributions is the fact that it has been and
continues to be developed openly by a group of volunteers, and that
it is open to other volunteers who wish to join the effort. Debian
is not developed by one individual or a small, closed group.
Instead, it follows in the tradition of the Linux kernel; it is
developed by those who use it, and this makes for a higher quality,
more dynamic, and truly modular system.

Does this sound to you like an invitation to chaos?
Originally, many people claimed that the open development of the
Linux kernel was an invitation to chaos and disaster, yet Linux is
not a disaster. Neither is Debian, for a good reason.

Modularity Of Debian Components

As the Debian developers create their pieces, they follow
strict guidelines for constructing and maintaining these pieces,
called packages. Because these guidelines are followed, each
package can be dropped into the system independently without
damaging or interfering with programs from other packages. By
working with a set of consistent rules and with identical tools,
the volunteers can and do create a truly modular system.

Modularity is extremely important to such a large collection
of software as a distribution. New releases of the software that
comprise the distribution are constantly being made, and it is the
task of the distribution maintainer (or maintainers, in the case of
Debian) to keep this software well integrated with the rest of the
system and up to date. It is very difficult for the maintainer to
do this successfully with dozens of megabytes of software,
especially when the software is not written specifically for the
system. When one person or small group attempts to do this,
maintenance of the distribution soon becomes a nightmare.

A distribution with many different people responsible for the
maintenance of its packages does not suffer from this overwhelming
task; different people are able to devote more attention to the
packages they maintain than would otherwise be possible, and it is
possible for experts in a particular area to take responsibility
for the packages involving their area of expertise. The result is a
better, more timely set of packages, complete with up-to-date
components, full documentation and solid examples. A collection of
such independent but highly cooperative packages makes a high
quality, consistent, modular distribution, which is exactly what
Debian is.

FSSTND Compliance

Debian was the first Linux system to adopt, support and
participate in the construction of the Linux Filesystem Standard
(FSSTND); since that time, Debian has been joined by Linux/PRO,
MCC, Slackware, TAMU, and other major distributions. FSSTND
compliance means full compatibility with the distributions that
follow it, easy integration of third-party packages and easy
installation of the system into a network of FSSTND-compliant Linux
machines.

Ease Of Installation And Configuration

Debian was designed to be simple enough for the novice to
install and configure, yet not so simple-minded as to frustrate the
advanced user. The installation process is as modular as the system
itself; the base system, which requires less than 7MB of disk
space, can be installed in less than ten minutes. All packages are
installed independently of the base system with the Debian package
maintenance utility, dpkg.

Intelligent And Powerful Package
Maintenance

A new package maintenance system called dpkg has been
developed specifically for the Debian system. With dpkg, the
administrator of a Debian system can easily install, remove,
upgrade and obtain information about both installed and
not-yet-installed packages.

dpkg is being written to easily and
extensibly support multiple package formats, and it is planned to
eventually support (at least) Slackware and System V
packages.

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What can I say? Debian is the best for me. I've been using Linux for about 10 months time and I started using Debian and get rooted on the feeling and taste of Freedom. Long Live F/OSS, Long Live Debian.